The Los Angeles Dodgers placed AJ Pollock on the 10-day injured list with a right hamstring strain and recalled Mitch White prior to the series finale against the San Francisco Giants.
Pollock suffered his injury in the first inning of Saturday’s win when getting caught in a rundown. Pollock’s two-out RBI double extended the Dodgers’ lead to 3-0 but he then took too aggressive of a lead off second base during Chris Taylor’s at-bat.
Pollock slid awkwardly into third base and immediately grabbed at his right hamstring area. He limped off the field and needed assistance getting down the dugout steps.
“I don’t want to speculate,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts initially said when asked for a prognosis and timetable with Pollock following the win.
“I know that it wasn’t good and obviously it’s a huge loss in any capacity. From what I’m hearing early on, it’s a Grade 2 strain. This is two, three weeks at minimum. We’ve just got to see how he feels [Sunday], but I think at the minimum it’s going to be a couple weeks.”
On Sunday, Roberts said Pollock was feeling “much better” but the expectation remained he would be sidelined for at least a couple weeks. Roberts did add Pollock should manage to make a return during the regular season.
The 33-year-old previously missed three weeks earlier this year because of a left hamstring strain he initially attempted to rest and then play through.
Pollock is batting .297/.352/.861 with 16 home runs and 58 RBI this season, which has been his best since earning an All-Star Game selection with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2015.
White is back with the club after being optioned last Monday. He is eligible to return before the standard 10-day period due to replacing an injured player on the active roster.
White is 1-2 with a 3.49 ERA in 18 games (three starts) for L.A. this season.
How Dodgers replace Pollock
Pollock’s injury figures to keep Cody Bellinger in the lineup on a regular basis, just like when the club was without Mookie Betts for a second time because of right hip inflammation being caused by a bone spur.
However, Trea Turner views filling the void as a collective effort.
“It stinks. Since I’ve been here he’s hit the ball really, really well. He’s gotten some clutch hits for us, so it’s going to be a blow,” Turner said. “I always say next man up, and that’s why you have a deep team. The next guy can step in and you don’t miss a beat.
“Hopefully he can come back as quick as possible, healthy and continue to do what he’s been doing to make a good run at it for the rest of the year. But we’re going to have to figure out ways to replace him for now, and that’s on each and every one of us.”
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